Riverview School District
Entry Plan Summary Report
to the Community
Dr. Anthony L. Smith, Superintendent
“Building Bridges to Elevate Student Readiness for
College, Career, and Life”
Riverview School District
15510 - 1st Ave. NE
PO Box 519
Duvall WA, 98019
(425) 844-4500
www.riverview.wednet.edu
2014-15 Riverview School Board of Directors
Carol Van Noy
Board President
Jodi Fletcher
School Director
Lori Oviatt
Vice President
Danny Edwards
School Director
Greg Bawden
School Director
Introduction
Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Community Members,
The purpose of my entry plan was to view all district efforts with a
new lens and provide transparency around planned objectives for
the coming school years through the district’s successful strategic
plan. A key priority within this effort was to reach out to a diverse
group of stakeholders to gain input that may not have been
previously heard through traditional forms of communication. This
meant setting up dialogue sessions with individuals and groups
throughout our district, community, and region. These sessions
included over 80 formal conversations and more than 400 informal
conversations. Additional information was gained as I visited our
schools and classrooms, observed classroom instruction, and
attended staff meetings and professional development. I also was
present at after-school activities, which included academic
presentations, sporting events, concerts, productions, community
events, and more. The basic questions I asked were:
 What should the superintendent know about you and/or the
group you belong to?
DR. ANTHONY L. SMITH
 What is working well and should be sustained?
 What needs attention and improvement?
 How can the district best serve your group’s educational
interests?
 What can you or your group do to help advance the district?
The Riverview School Board
has charged me with
continuing to elevate our
“super goal” of improving
student achievement for every
student while continuing to
build upon priorities
established in the district’s
strategic plan.
This report includes a synopsis of key themes that emerged and
strategic plan updates. The information gained was used as part of
constructing new objectives and tasks within the strategic plan in
June, 2014.
Thank you for the opportunity to share what I have heard and
learned through these important dialogue sessions. To a person,
everyone was committed to assisting the Riverview School District in
supporting our students’ success!
Sincerely and respectfully,
Dr. Anthony L. Smith
Phases
The entry plan has three distinct phases that follow:
Phase I:
Pre-Entry
Activities Designed to
Prepare for Seamless
Transition into Superintendent Role
2012-2013 School Year
Phase II:
Entry
Phase III:
Post Entry
Priorities to Ensure
Successful First Year
of Superintendent
Development of Summary Report and Strategic
Plan Updates
July, 2013 through March, 2014
April through June, 2014
SUMMARY REPORT
Overall high satisfaction with the school district
from internal and external stakeholders.
During interviews with students, parents, staff,
community members, other groups, high
satisfaction with the Riverview School District was
expressed. People spoke to the past ten years and
overall dramatic progress in student performance,
openness to parent and community participation
and input, and opportunities for students. Those
interviewed also reported increased positive
relationships and communication with the district
and its schools. Respondents talked about the
Riverview community and its schools being a special
place where all stakeholders go the extra mile to
ensure student success.
“I like almost everything about the district and
community. The quality of education has gone
up and facilities have improved, as well as an
increase in activities and events…great
alternative programs for the size of district –
one size does not fit all. The Riverview School
District is now a destination. We now have
people moving here because of its schools.”
2014-15 REPORT TO COMMUNITY
Partnerships
Partnerships with organizations and businesses have
increased dramatically. Continue to expand these
opportunities to benefit students while at the same time
supporting staff and the community.
The school district and its individual schools have
mutually cultivated rich partnerships with businesses and
organizations locally, regionally, and nationally to benefit
students and the community. Teachers and
administrators have been seeking more opportunities for
students to apply what they learn in a real world context
as aligned to the curriculum. It was suggested that the
district continue to expand these partnerships in all
curricular areas. This ranged from ideas such as bringing
scientists and mathematicians as guests into classrooms,
to student volunteer experiences, to expanding
opportunities for college credit or certification while
attending our public schools.
The following comment from a local engineer
and parent characterizes this area:
“I appreciate the considerable technology
improvements and building improvements as
well as creating more school and community
opportunities across the district. Please partner
with me and my business around technology; it
provides a great local opportunity for students.
Continue to work on partnering even more in
this way.”
Opportunities
for all Students
Clearly communicate educational opportunities
and alternatives for students in multiple ways.
Information is much more readily available on the
district and individual school websites. The
district has significantly expanded educational
opportunities and alternatives over the years
which is commendable. The opportunity here is
to communicate the information in a variety of
ways so it is consistently accessible to more
students and parents.
The following comments from parents and
community agencies characterized input in
this area:
“Make sure opportunities for struggling
students are communicated out in a variety
of ways.”
“Would help to know/understand additional
supports/areas where students can thrive.”
“Please put the list of after-school clubs and
opportunities throughout the system for
easy access and so parents can take
advantage of these great programs.”
2014-15 REPORT TO COMMUNITY
Continuing
Improvement
Continue to develop, evaluate, and improve
prevention and intervention efforts to meet all
students’ needs.
District-wide, from early childhood through
high school there is a renewed emphasis on
improving prevention and intervention programs
for students that struggle. This has included
continued restructuring of what we are doing to
meet all students’ needs throughout the
system. Our assessment practices are more
consistent and timely, and our intervention
programs are more data-driven and targeted.
We are working toward doing this at all levels on
an individual and collective student basis.
The following comments on the importance of prevention
and intervention efforts came from elementary, middle, and
high school teachers in the district:
“It is the only way we are going to get kids to where they
need to be. It is our responsibility to make our programs
such that all students will achieve and meet standard and be
successful in life. It is my new mantra now as I am reading
research on how students are entering kindergarten in some
cases already two to three years behind.”
“One compliment that a parent has given our school is that
we don't give up on kids. As students enter the secondary
phase of their academic lives, students' challenges can grow
more complex and our district's intervention practices must
be there to support students. Of course, there is the obvious
academic struggle that we address through assessment and
support, but even students who do not seem to struggle
academically can carry weighty issues from their homes into
our classrooms. While it's best to start with the least
intensive intervention possible, I feel confident as I go about
my daily life as a teacher that we have a more layered set of
interventions in place than ever before. Monitoring and
evaluating these interventions allows us to serve individual
student needs and continue to seek the best for our
students.”
“Our mission is to educate children, - ALL children; therefore,
increasing the academic achievement of all students is
everyone’s goal. At the secondary level, meeting this
promise is facilitated by identifying struggling students from
previous assessment data from multiple sources and
designing and monitoring appropriate interventions.”
Opportunities
Continue to improve upon efforts to decrease the
opportunity gap among struggling students while
increasing the opportunities for all students
Students struggle for a variety of reasons including
socio-economic status, learning challenges, language
barriers, disabilities, motivation, substance abuse,
lack of positive role models, homelessness, loss of a
friend or relative, mental health concerns, personal,
social, family, or other issues. Generally, these
students need additional supports, whether school,
home, community, and/or agency help. As part of
the entry plan I visited with students, staff, parents,
and community agencies on this topic. To assist with
language barrier challenges in the district, we also
facilitated the district’s first Hispanic Forum, which
resulted in clear feedback and recommendations
from 31 Hispanic parents and guardians. We will set
a plan in place to improve current services to
address these needs. In addition, we will be working
on adding new extended learning programs to
improve student learning, thus reducing the
opportunity/achievement gap. An example of
reducing the opportunity/achievement gap is our
summer school program.
Students entering fourth and sixth grade, respectively,
shared their insights on differences the 2014 summer
school program made toward their skills and future
success:
“I’m reading!” - entering first grader
“I'm learning what to look for when I can't read a word. I
am getting better at sounding out.” - entering fourth
grader
“After working on Math 180, I now have a growth
mindset. I know I can do whatever I put my mind to.” entering sixth grader
“Using an array model for multiplication was very
helpful.” - entering sixth grader
2014-15 REPORT TO COMMUNITY
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan Updates to Elevate Student Achievement
Note: For specific tasks and measures of success, refer to the strategic plan available via the following link:
http://www.riverview.wednet.edu/districtinfo/strategicplan/strategic_plan.pdf
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Improve student learning growth for all students in all areas.
Development of a plan to implement free all-day Kindergarten for the 2016-2017 school year to help our
students keep pace with the new Common Core State Standards for Learning.
Completion of a three-year plan for further implementation of rigorous Common Core State Standards for
students.
Significantly increase students’ access and understanding of technology, including targeted plans for
mobile devises, standards alignment, and 1-to-1 types of initiatives.
Increase interpreter services, communication, and parent education for members of our Hispanic
community and other families where English is the second language spoken at home.
Proactively identify concerns impacting the learning of individual students and continue the expansion of
prevention and intervention options.
Review elementary school boundaries with an inclusive committee and recommend any changes to the
Riverview School Board to prevent overcrowding in any one school.
Student Safety: Implement emergency operations field guides at each school and continue to establish
the foundation for future simulated drills that involve students, staff, parents, first responders, and the
community.
Develop and implement an “Ambassador Program” where parents and community members can receive
training on the knowledge and skills it takes to become a school board member.
Conduct the 2015-2020 Strategic Plan Community Forum where all Riverview patrons will be invited to
participate in a process to provide input in the establishment of future district goals and objectives.
Continue to improve the communications program by facilitating an external audit and adding a Twitter
account to enhance district social media.
Continue to create a fiscally responsible budget.
Continue long-term planning for quality facilities that meet student needs as our population grows.
2014-15 REPORT TO COMMUNITY